Weight loss, Diet & Nutrition Info

Myth – Only low-fat foods should be consumed for weight loss

Fact – As fat is a calorie-dense nutrient (each gram provides about 9 kilocalories), it is advisable to consume less fat for weight loss. But, opting for low-fat foods is not the answer to weight loss, as extra sugar, flour or starch may be added to these foods to improve flavor and texture after fat is removed and these ingredients can add back calories. It’s best therefore, to check food labels carefully and choose only those foods that provide less calories per serving.

Myth – To lose weight, I should eat foods that agree with my blood type

Fact - The diet Eat Right 4 Your Type (refers to blood type) claims that each blood type has its own unique antigen marker that reacts negatively to certain foods, and individuals have varying levels of stomach acidity and digestive enzymes that correlate with blood type. Based on this theory, the diet provides a list of foods to eat or avoid, depending on your blood type. Scientifically, there is no evidence that diets should be based on blood type. And eliminating whole food groups, may cause nutrient deficiencies – for example excluding dairy products may result in calcium deficiency.

Myth – Carbohydrates are fattening

Fact – Despite all the very scientific theories about carbohydrates and insulin levels, used to support this claim there really is no established scientific evidence to support the claim that carbohydrates are fattening. Carbohydrates provide approximately 4 kilocalories per gramme, similar to protein (3.75 kilocalories per gramme), and half the energy value of fats (9 kilocalroies per gramme). You can therefore continue to enjoy carbs whilst on a weight loss diet, but remember to choose the carbs wisely – soupy noodles instead of fried ones, plain white rice instead of fried or biryani rice and breads with less spreads for instance, and don’t forget to eat all foods, including carbohydrates, in moderation.

Myth – Meal replacements provide complete nutrition

Fact – Many meal replacements shakes or bar lack fibre and phytochemicals that aid in disease prevention. So, if you choose to use a shake or bar to replace do it only for a short while and eat balanced meals that provide sufficient calories, protein, fibre and phytochemicals through the rest of the day.

Myth – Some diets can reduce fat in particular body areas

Fact - There is no evidence that diets proclaiming to reduce fat in particular body areas actually work. As the body burns fat from all available stores, a weight loss programme reduces overall body fat – so you can lose a little weight in a particular area, but not without losing elsewhere too. Exercise can help you tone up in specific areas.

Myth – If I combine foods in the right way, I can lose weight

Fact - Some diets recommend that proteins and carbohydrates should not be eaten together, claiming the enzymes required for digestion, somehow cancel each other out, and cause weight gain. There is no scientific evidence to back this claim and the human body has been built to deal with different food groups and needs all the combined nutrients to ensure a healthy, balanced diet. Many naturally occurring foods contain both carbohydrate and protein, for example – nuts, milk, lentils, beans and whole-grain breads and these are very useful foods to include in a healthy weight management diet. Portion size is a better focus in planning meals, with the aim of eating all foods in moderation.

Myth – Cabbage and grapefruit can burn body fat

Fact - No food can burn fat. Some foods like caffeine do increase metabolic rate (the rate at which your body uses calories) for a short time, but it is not enough to cause noticeable weight loss. The best way to lose weight is to eat less and exercise more.

Myth – Fat metabolizers really work

Fact - Fat metabolizers or fat burners are a group of over-the-counter diet pills with active ingredients that theoretically raise metabolism and help burn body fat. Despite extravagant claims, there is really no clinical evidence that these fat metabolizers do work. Furthermore, there are serious concerns about the health risks associated ephedra, an ingredient found in some of these products. Ephedra has been linked to high blood pressure, severe headaches, heart rate abnormalities, seizures, heart attacks and even deaths in some susceptible individuals.